Yes, our goddess is an illusion, but...

hcobb · 03-30-2019, 10:39 AM

A long time ago a proto-wizard built a circle of large stones with some variant of Maintain Illusion. In the centuries since the mass belief of the local villagers have managed to create and sustain something a bit more than a run of the mill illusion. It either has a will of its own, or acts as a gestalt of the will of her worshipers.

If she steps outside the circle, is dispelled or disbelieved then she will vanish, but her worshipers will reinstantiate her in a few days, none the worse for wear. She also gets a 3/IQ roll of her own to resist dispelling and any attempt to disbelieve her is a 3/IQ contest of wills. (Infields who roll critical failures on their disbelieve rolls tend to become fanatical supporters of hers.) A temple has been built around the circle to protect her from prying eyes. Note that she can't have any impact on mindless creatures and things, so she can't even read a printed page.

Illusionary Goddess of the Circle
ST 11 DX 12 IQ 15 MA 10
Quarterstaff(1d+2)
Area Knowledge, Bard, Charisma, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Literacy, Poet, Priest, Quarterstaff, Scholar, Theologian.
Special ability: Automatically knows the language of any non-mindless figure that is currently perceiving her.

Kale · 03-30-2019, 02:22 PM

This is pretty neat! What sort of adventure seeds could this entity spawn?

She could make an interesting generic 'quest giver', based of some subconscious need of the town residents.

If she retains memory over time she might also have History and other Knowledge skills based on what she's learned from beings that have come to see her in the past. If the villagers have been sustaining her for centuries she could be pretty knowledgeable about many things. Finding her and asking her a specific question about past events could be a major plot thread.

An outside church could send priests and soldiers to excise the heathen goddess. PCs have to pick a side.

hcobb · 03-30-2019, 02:26 PM

The strange question I have is if in another country you make an illusion of her, is it her? I think that no figure could perceive two of her at the same time so if you summon another nearby then the previous one goes away.

And then are they all networked in real time or is it like Naruto's shadow clones where the memories only merge in when the copy vanishes?

I'm leaning towards any illusion of herself automatically falls under her own control, but is just an ordinary illusion unsupported by the power of the circle. (Or perhaps roll of six, like a demon.)

03-30-2019, 10:39 AM	#1
hcobb Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pacheco, California	Yes, our goddess is an illusion, but... A long time ago a proto-wizard built a circle of large stones with some variant of Maintain Illusion. In the centuries since the mass belief of the local villagers have managed to create and sustain something a bit more than a run of the mill illusion. It either has a will of its own, or acts as a gestalt of the will of her worshipers. If she steps outside the circle, is dispelled or disbelieved then she will vanish, but her worshipers will reinstantiate her in a few days, none the worse for wear. She also gets a 3/IQ roll of her own to resist dispelling and any attempt to disbelieve her is a 3/IQ contest of wills. (Infields who roll critical failures on their disbelieve rolls tend to become fanatical supporters of hers.) A temple has been built around the circle to protect her from prying eyes. Note that she can't have any impact on mindless creatures and things, so she can't even read a printed page. Illusionary Goddess of the Circle ST 11 DX 12 IQ 15 MA 10 Quarterstaff(1d+2) Area Knowledge, Bard, Charisma, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Literacy, Poet, Priest, Quarterstaff, Scholar, Theologian. Special ability: Automatically knows the language of any non-mindless figure that is currently perceiving her. __________________ -HJC

03-30-2019, 02:22 PM	#2
Kale Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cowtown, Canada	Re: Yes, our goddess is an illusion, but... This is pretty neat! What sort of adventure seeds could this entity spawn? She could make an interesting generic 'quest giver', based of some subconscious need of the town residents. If she retains memory over time she might also have History and other Knowledge skills based on what she's learned from beings that have come to see her in the past. If the villagers have been sustaining her for centuries she could be pretty knowledgeable about many things. Finding her and asking her a specific question about past events could be a major plot thread. An outside church could send priests and soldiers to excise the heathen goddess. PCs have to pick a side. __________________ FYI: Laser burns HURT!

03-30-2019, 02:26 PM	#3
hcobb Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pacheco, California	Re: Yes, our goddess is an illusion, but... The strange question I have is if in another country you make an illusion of her, is it her? I think that no figure could perceive two of her at the same time so if you summon another nearby then the previous one goes away. And then are they all networked in real time or is it like Naruto's shadow clones where the memories only merge in when the copy vanishes? I'm leaning towards any illusion of herself automatically falls under her own control, but is just an ordinary illusion unsupported by the power of the circle. (Or perhaps roll of six, like a demon.) __________________ -HJC Last edited by hcobb; 03-30-2019 at 03:46 PM.